Vessel disablement system

ABSTRACT

A system designed as a benign disablement weapon for use against sailboats and a method for using the system. The system may be easily deployed to stop sailboats by disabling the propeller. The system uses a buoyant component that floats covertly on the water surface and to which many entanglement lines are attached. Upon the targeted boat passing over the system, the buoyant interface catches on the keel of the vessel. The buoyant interface then drags the entanglement lines with the vessel which puts the lines in position to catch on the propeller, causing the vessel to become disabled. The system may be modified for use in disabling motor craft.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/035,149 filed Aug. 8, 2014, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The system described herein relates to a benign disablement weapon primarily for use against sailboats. The system also relates to disabling a boat propeller.

BACKGROUND

In the course of protecting coastal waters, the military often performs special operations to stop drug-traffickers, pirates or terrorists. Such special operations require performance in a covert manner and deployment at a distance far away from the intended target. Accordingly, disablement systems must be covert and easy to deploy from a distance.

The systems currently in existence focus largely on disablement of motor crafts. Various types of cable nets are used to effectively disable smaller motor boats. The nets are laid across the surface of the water and when the motor boats cross over the net, the propeller becomes entangled, thereby stopping the boats movement.

The existing systems, however, are ineffective for stopping an auxiliary powered sailboat due to the typical location of the keel in relation to the propeller on a sailboat. There is a need for a disablement system that may be quickly deployed against auxiliary powered vessels, effectively seizing the progression of the vessel.

SUMMARY

A system for disabling and stopping an auxiliary powered vessel is described. The disablement system may be configured for use on motor crafts in addition to sailboats. The system is deployed by a user and floats covertly on the surface of the water until the targeted vessel passes over the system. Once the system has made contact with the keel of the vessel, the looped entanglement lines wrap around the propeller and seize the propeller shaft, effectively disabling it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the looped entanglement lines attached to the buoyant interface.

FIG. 2 shows a magnified portion of the looped entanglement lines attached to the buoyant interface.

FIG. 3 shows a device such as those in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 being deployed against the keel of a sailboat.

FIG. 4 shows a device such as those in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 being deployed against the keel of a sailboat.

FIG. 5 shows system deployment against a sailboat

FIG. 6 shows the buoyant interface successfully engaged onto a sailboat.

FIG. 7. shows propeller entanglement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the description forthcoming, a disablement system 10 is described in the context of use for disabling an auxiliary powered sailboat. However, the system 10 may be configured to disable any motor craft having a keel or skeg forward of the propeller as well.

FIGS. 1-2 show different perspectives of the vessel disablement system 10. As shown in the figures, looped entanglement lines 14 are attached to a buoyant interface 18. The looped entanglement lines 14 may be made of an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fiber, such as Dyneema fiber, for maximum tensile strength and cutting resistance. The looped entanglement lines 14 may be a length approximately equal to the distance from the keel to the propeller. This length ensures that an entanglement line 14 will be dragged into the path of the propeller.

In one embodiment, the buoyant interface 18 is made from a closed-cell material, such as Polyethylene foam. The buoyant interface 18 may be made to lay low in the water for covertness. The shape of the buoyant interface 18 allows the system 10 to maintain the flexibility to wrap around the keel of the sailboat. The buoyant interface 18 must maintain enough buoyancy to catch on the keel, causing the device to be dragged by the vessel. The dragging action causes the entanglement lines 14 to come into contact with the propeller, either because the lines 14 are directly in the path of the propeller or are sucked into the path of the propeller, resulting in disablement of the vessel. The buoyant interface 18 may be colored to camouflage its appearance in the water.

In another embodiment, the entanglement lines 14 are hanging straight lines rather than looped lines.

In another embodiment, the buoyant interface 18 may be a tube made of an inflatable material with multiple air chambers. In the event of a puncture of the inflatable buoyant interface 18, multiple air chambers provide robustness through the presence of airtight bulkheads which will enable the inflatable to maintain structure and function. In the fully packaged state, the buoyant interface 18 is deflated with the entanglement lines 14 neatly coiled. The fully packaged system 10 is made to be man-portable. Upon deployment into the water, the buoyant interface 18 is inflated.

In another embodiment, the buoyant interface 18 may be coated with an adhesive material, to increase friction between the hull of the vessel and the buoyant interface.

One embodiment may use d-rings (not shown) to attach the looped entanglement lines to the inflatable buoyant interface. Entanglement lines 14 would be looped through the d-rings on the inflatable buoyant interface 18 to attach to the interface.

Although features and elements of the disablement system 10 are described in the example embodiments in particular combinations, each feature described may be used in any combination with any feature described of the enablement system 10. Changes in the composition or layout of the system are contemplated as circumstances may require without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for disabling a sailboat comprising: a buoyant interface component; and an entanglement lines arranged in loops such that one end of each loop attaches to the buoyant interface component.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buoyant interface component is made from a material such as foam.
 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the material of the buoyant interface component maintains flexibility.
 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein a length of the entanglement lines is approximated by a distance from a keel of a sailboat to a propeller of the sailboat.
 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the buoyant interface is inflatable.
 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the buoyant interface contains multiple air chambers.
 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the buoyant interface is coated with a friction-increasing coating.
 8. The system according to claim 5, wherein the entanglement lines attach to the buoyant interface.
 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the entanglement lines are ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fiber. 